Letter to the editor: Reader says state legislature to blame for road funding shortage

I am writing to express my disappointment at the lack of leadership from Rep. John Spiros and other state legislators who serve on the Transportation Committee. Wisconsin’s infrastructure is falling apart. According to the Department of Transportation, we have the third-worst roads in the country. We need to do something about this.

Finding reliable ways to pay for repairs will not be easy, and it will not be popular either, but we do not elect representatives to do easy and popular things. That is why I am so disappointed in Rep. Spiros and the current legislature. They refused to tackle this difficult issue. Instead of showing real leadership, they kicked the can down the road and borrowed $850 million dollars for road repair.

This lack of leadership has forced our communities into referendums for transportation spending. It is the state government that should step up. This is too much for our communities to handle.

It is very frustrating that we are forced to take emergency actions such as wheel tax. I do support it because it has become an important means of generating the needed money for local repairs — because our Republican-based legislature refuses to do the right thing. It is time to place the blame where it should fall and not on your local government officials who are trying hard to come up with solutions.

Mr. Spiros and his party control our entire state government right now. He had a perfect opportunity to step up and lead on this difficult issue. Instead, he chooses to align himself with the transportation company he works for, and now we are paying the price.